


A Time Of Change

by ZarKu



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama & Romance, Exams! (uggh), F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Read at Your Own Risk, Sins, Violence, high school life, mature content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:38:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18919036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZarKu/pseuds/ZarKu
Summary: 4 years and Gabriel still doesn’t have the Ladybug or the Cat Miraculous. He built a fashion Empire by himself for christ sakes, how could two kids stop him from bringing his Emilie back? If his years in the industry has taught him anything, it’s that failures will keep happening until you remove the root cause of it. Perhaps, it’s time Hawkmoth needed to change his methodsAn AU where Hawkmoth is actually smart about using his powers.





	1. A Spark

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: This is an Adult/Mature depiction of the actual show. This work aims to show the reality of what it means to be a hero and the brutality that comes with it. There will be violence, there will be blood, and there will most definitely be a lot of tears. That isn't to say that this work won't have its own fair share of Fluff and Sins, the characters are going through the end of their high school life after all ;)
> 
> All characters are above the age of consent.
> 
> Reader discretion is advised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I'm excited to finally post my very first Fanfic! It's been a while since I've written anything like this, mainly because I've mostly been extremely busy with work, but here I am with a new chapter to introduce you fellas to my own spin on the Miraculous Ladybug Universe!
> 
> Happy Reading!

“NO!” Hawkmoth cried, hurling his cane across the steel chamber. Snarling through his clenched teeth, he looked up to the glistening circular butterfly window.

“Every time! Why can’t you just take her Miraculous?!” He shouted, eyes darting around into the clouds as if he was expecting a reply, but all he heard was the sound of his heart beating furiously in his chest. 

Soon the tension in his jaw gives way, freeing a quivering breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

Hawkmoth collapsed onto his knees, hands clutching at the sides of his head as his eyes desperately held their gaze onto the window like a lifeline. For the first time, there were no evil promises, no "I’ll get you next time Ladybug!", or even a "You may have won the battle, but I will win the war!"

Just the muffled whirring sounds of the butterfly window closing. 

Detransforming, Gabriel reached into his jacket and pulled out a photo of Emilie. No matter how long it has been since she passed, he always felt as lost and broken as the day she died in his arms. He wished he could hear that beautiful laugh of hers again, or maybe wake up to her perfect smile one more time. God was she perfect, not even the universe with all its stars could out-shine the beauty that was Emilie Agreste. She never failed to brighten his days with her presence, and even though her smile was framed everywhere in his house, it still wasn’t as close as the real thing.

Every single Akuma he had sent out has failed him. Of course, some got close, extremely close. But their pride and arrogance quickly squashed any hope of obtaining the two precious Miraculous Jewels he needed. The Jewels that Emilie needed. 

How on earth have two measly teenagers been defeating him every week for the last 4 Years? 

“Master?” Nooroo slowly poked his head out from behind Gabriel, trying not to startle the grieving man. 

Gabriel sighed, “What do they have that I don't?”

Nooroo floated around to face him with a worried expression. Even Gabriel was surprised by the weakness he was displaying. 

“M-Master..” The Kwami nervously pressed his fins together, “The Ladybug and C-Cat Miraculous are two parts of a whole.” Nooroo said in a nervous yet factual tone, “They have each other, and they trust one another. No matter how bad things go.”

Gabriel swiped his thumb over the photo of Emilie, “They have each other...” He breathed. 

To be losing for this long would most definitely make anyone give up hope. Too hard, not enough time, not enough resources - All of those excuses sounded just like the kind of things he’d hear from his Designers. Designers he’d promptly fire or severely demote if he ever heard them in his office.

Yet, those were the excuses he was telling himself internally.

Deep down, Gabriel knew why each Akuma didn’t bring him the Miraculous Jewels he so desperately needed. If he had done it the way he wanted, he would have his Emilie back by now. But that was a line he knew Emilie didn’t want him to cross, a line that would change the very nature of his mission.

Violence.

It was completely against everything she believed in, and it’s exactly the thing they fought against back then. The violence and corruption of the Crime Lords that held a tight grip on Europe many decades ago. It’d break her heart if he used his powers to hurt and manipulate others into reviving her.

No matter how loyal he tried to stay to his Emilie, how hard he tried to do it her way, eventually he realised that there was no point in trying to play fair if it never got her back. 

For years his strategy against Ladybug and Chat Noir would simply be to wait until someone had an attitude and then grant that person with powers. It was a simple plan, one that could be done within the walls of his own home, and it wasn’t as vicious as the Kingpins they had to deal with back then.

After all, no one was seriously getting hurt.

But it wasn’t working, no matter how well he planned out the Akumas, how unique he tried to make them, it always ended with another disappointment. So why was he still doing this? 

A buzzing sound erupted from his pocket, tearing him away from his thoughts.

“Yes?” Gabriel held the phone to his ear as he stood up.

“Mr Agreste, Mme Bourgeois has been waiting on hold for 5 minutes.” Nathalie’s voice had a hint of annoyance, though Gabriel couldn’t blame her. 

“What does she want.” He huffed, he was not in the mood for Mme Bourgeois nonsense. “Surely you wouldn’t be disturbing me if she’s asking for another update on the Winter Lineup.”

“She’s returning to Paris for a few weeks Mr Agreste, and she’s hosting a Ball to celebrate the success of her new fash–”

“She expects Adrien and I to attend?”

“Yes.”

Gabriel fell silent and pinched his chin in thought. If bringing Emilie back meant becoming the monster they fought so hard against back then, so be it. 

And what could be a better opportunity than to take advantage of a Ball that will have all of the best celebrities in Paris attending?

“Mr Agreste?” Nathalie was audibly cautious of the silence he was in. 

He placed the photo of his beloved back into his pocket and walked to a circular pad on the ground, Nooroo followed behind him and tucked himself into Gabriels side pocket. A fire of determination shone through his silver eyes, a fire that he hadn’t felt in 4 years. 

If his years in the business has taught him anything, it’s that failures will keep happening until you deal with the root cause of it. Chat Noir and Ladybug had each other and their trust, so naturally, Hawkmoth needed a partner, and who else was more fitting of that role than Gabriel Agreste?

A grin parted his cheeks, he could see the defeated look on Ladybug already. 

“Let’s not keep her waiting then, put her on.”

## 

* * *

“Pound it!”

Ladybug smiled as she bumped her fist with Chat Noirs.

The Akuma was relatively easy, a heartbroken woman who wanted revenge on her cheating boyfriend is something they can easily handle. It’s not the first Heartbroken Akuma they had dealt with anyway. The only problem was the timing, Marinette had a test coming up and right now she’s missing valuable time in Maths Class. 

There had to be an Akuma right when her class started. So much for being Lady Luck.

“Huh? Wha- where am I?” The Akuma victim sat up with her eyes looking at her surroundings. 

Chat offered her his hand and pulled her up, ” I got her Ladybug.” he smiled, “Maybe later we can-”

“Sorry Kitty." Ladybug apologetically raised her hands in front of Chat as she took a step away from him, “I’m late for something really important, I’ll see you for Patrol later tonight though. Bug out!” She gave him a quick wave and left before he could say anything else. It was a rude and sudden departure, and Chat didn’t deserve it, but there’s literally thirty minutes left of class, and the School is almost fifteen minutes away. 

Usually running on the rooftops of Paris was a calm and quiet experience. This time though, her mind was buzzing with worries about the upcoming test, almost blinding her as she ran off a rooftop without jumping. 

“Eek!” She squeaked, thrashing her yo-yo up to a chimney and yanked herself towards it.

Being Ladybug for 4 years made her more confident every day, but nothing could prepare her for the stress of being a senior student it seems, especially since she’s being clumsy in her suit. If the last tests were causing this much stress, she could only imagine what the exams are like.

The very thought of the exams made her grimace. 

“Spots off.” She whispered, moments after slipping through an open window in the locker room. To her shock, some students were already out and about. Did the class finish?

At full sprint Marinette began making her way up the stairs and towards the Maths Classroom, creating a loud thud as she slapped the door open, panting with a desperate look in her eyes. The whole class snapped their attention to Marinette, who suddenly felt like there was a spotlight on her.

“Sorry I’m late Ms Mendeleiev, I uh... I had to go help with um...” Marinette gave a nervous laugh as she tried to come up with something, but her thoughts were interrupted when Ms Mendeleiev placed her ruler down.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve been late to my class Marinette.“ Ms Mendeleiev folded her arms, “Go on, come up with something interesting this time.”

Being put on the spot so suddenly, Marinette paused to think of what could be the best excuse given her situation. What she ended up with telling was the best, most plausible excuse a student could ever give. 

“My Pet Carrot got hit by a car today so I had to stay back and take her to the–”

“Just sit down.” Ms Mendeleiev sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. The class turned into a wave of muffled giggling and snickering, even Marinette couldn’t help but join them. 

“Thank you” She chirped, it was slightly surprising that she wasn’t immediately sent to the Principals office, maybe Ms Mendeleiev learnt that Mr Damocles can’t always be the solution to her problems. And speaking of problems..

“Where’s Adrien?” Marinette whispered, sitting down next to Alya.

“Where’s Adrien? He left for an important call, what I want to know was where were you? I called you four times and you didn’t pick up girl." Alya whisper-shouted, “You didn’t stay up late studying again did you?”

The concern Alya was displaying for her wellbeing warmed Marinette's heart, “There was a huge order at the Bakery, I had to stay back and help.” She answered. It was shocking how effortlessly the lie rolled off her tongue. 

She couldn’t exactly say ‘Oh I had to go save Paris from an Akuma with a hot Blondie in a tight leather suit’, could she?

Wait... Hot Blondie?

“Business is tough huh? If you need an extra pair of hands girl, you know who to call." Alya winked, pointing to herself with her thumb. 

The gesture made Marinette chuckle, “No it’s fine Alya, we’ll manage–”

“Marinette!” Ms Mendeleiev pointed her ruler at Marinette’s direction, “Not only are you extremely late for my class, but you’re also talking while I’m teaching? If you don’t need this lesson, leave. Or shut up and let the rest of your classmates listen.”

“S-sorry!” Marinette quickly swiped her Maths booklet from her bag and placed it on the table, giving Ms Mendeleiev a confident smile, who grunted and turned back to the whiteboard.

“Oops” Alya mouthed, but Marinette gave her a playful shrug. As harsh as she was, Ms Mendeleiev was right, she needed to ace this Maths test, so she dawned her ‘hardcore study face’ and buckled up for the last remaining minutes of the Class. 

Not 10 minutes into ‘Study mode’ and the bell rang.

Marinette groaned and rested her forehead onto the desk with a light thud.

“Okay class,” Ms Mendeleiev clapped her hands together and turned to her students, “As you know, Monday next week will be the test. It will begin at 8:30 on the dot, so don’t be late.” She gave Marinette a knowing glance before turning back to the class, “Class dismissed.”

Everyone instantly got up and started packing their things, chatter about weekend plans and tests were bouncing from wall to wall. 

"I’m so screwed..” Marinette’s voice was muffled by the table, but she was loud enough for Alya to reassuringly pat her back

“No you’re not.” Nino chuckled, placing his books into his bag before turning to the two girls behind him. 

Alya leaned down to Marinette, “I’ll send you what you missed, don’t worry.”

“Thanks, Alya. But I still have the other pile of notes you sent me to study from as well...”

Alya paused for a moment, and then her eyes lit up,” Actually..” she sat up and twisted on her seat to face the still brooding Marinette “Why don’t we do a study night? That way we can help out with the pile.”

Marinette jerked upright and turned to Alya with a surprised expression, whilst Nino nodded with an approving smile. It was a great idea since it could really (reeeeaaally) help Marinette with her homework, and it could give the gang a chance to hang out again. Not that hanging out was the main point, Alya would make sure of that. 

But… It felt unfair for everyone to help her with her study. Heroic duties aside, study time was her responsibility, and robbing that time from theirs just felt wrong.

Her hesitation must’ve been obvious since Alya rested her hands on Marinette's shoulders, “We don’t mind girl, that’s what friends are for” She smiled.

“I don’t know Alya, don’t you guys have plans?” Marinette glanced to Nino and back to Alya, who shrugged. 

“Nah dude, I’m free all weekend.” Nino rested his elbow on the back of his seat and smiled at Marinette, “I’m totally down for it.”

“Me too girl.” Alya added, “Now it’s just Adrien that’s left, and he can help the rest of us out with Physics.” She stood up and started packing her stuff, “Why don’t we go ask?”

“Alright." Marinette shrugged, getting up to pack her things, but stopped when she realised Alya and Nino were looking at her.

“What?” she asked, glanced back and forth between the two. Was it something she said?

Alya raised an eyebrow, “You’re asking him.” she said, deadpanned. 

“I know..?” Marinette stood there, confused about the situation. It wasn’t like there was any miscommunication, was there?

She got more confused when Alya and Nino gave each other a curious look, “Okay, what’s going on?” Marinette placed her hands on her hip. 

“You’re not going to try and back out of this? No excuses?” Alya crunched her lips and squinted her eyes at Marinette as if she was a cryptic puzzle.

And then it clicked, “Ohh! No, not really.” Marinette chuckled, “I don’t know, I’m not nervous around him anymore I guess. These tests are what’s on my mind at the moment.” Now that she thought about it, the past couple of months were all ‘Test, Bakery, Akuma’, and not ‘Adrien Adrien Adrien’. 

“Well, I guess that’s good? Anyway, let’s go before lunch ends.” Alya said, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. Nino made a weird high-pitched sound when he tried to lift Adrien's bag, arms shaking as he struggled to get the strap onto his shoulder. 

The girls couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.

“Holy– What does he have in here? Bricks??” Nino huffed, deciding to throw the strap over his head and support it with his back instead of just his shoulder. It wasn’t until they started walking out of class that Marinette felt bad for Nino, and opted to carry it instead. But he told her it was fine, even if his knees didn’t look like it. 

As they left the classroom, Marinette was about to offer her friends free lunch at the Bakery until Alya and Nino suddenly stopped. It took a few seconds for her to register that something felt... off. 

It was extremely quiet, so quiet that Marinette could hear her footsteps echo from one side of the courtyard to the other. What made it extremely unnerving was the fact that everyone was just standing there, staring at their phones. 

The realization that something’s wrong made Marinette’s heart stop, was this another Akuma? She ran down the stairs, trying to see if her classmates were hypnotised, or worse, possessed! Even Nino and Alya dropped their things and followed. But what she saw was something she couldn’t even imagine.

They were all fine, except for the look of horror, fear and disgust in their eyes. Chloe had her hands clasped over her mouth while Mylène hid her face away from Ivans phone. Almost instinctively, Alya whipped her phone out, eyebrows raised at the shocking notifications on her lock screen.

“Marinette…” Alya grabbed Marinette's shoulder, but she couldn’t take her eyes off her classmates. If the scene didn’t freak her out, then the sniffles coming from everyone certainly did. 

They were all _crying_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand that's it!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know what you think and I'll try my best to make the next chapter better.


	2. Feathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains depictions of violence and blood. 
> 
> Well, this took a little longer than expected, but it's finally here!
> 
> Thank you guys for all the Comments and Kudos! It really means the world to me when I can see your opinions on my hard work, especially when I get a severe case of Writers Block.
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> UPDATE: I removed and edited a big chunk of this chapter since it doesn't really sit well with what I planned after I published this. Sorryy >~<
> 
> ~ZarKu

“Nathalie, can you come in?” Gabriel leaned back onto his chair, lifting his finger off the buzzer on his desk. It wasn't long until Nathalie opened the door, walking in with a black folder in her hand.

She sat down on the other side of his desk and placed the folder in front of Gabriel, who looked down at the bold ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ tag printed on the front.

“Another potential Akuma?” He asked, opening the folder and flicking through it.

“Some individuals who can be of use, as well as other information such as addresses and family contacts.” Nathalie folded her legs and adjusted her glasses, a subtle act of confidence Gabriel knew all too well, “I’ve already contacted some of your former acquaintances in preparation for the Ball. They’re sceptical, and have some concerns regarding Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

Gabriel placed the folder down and folded his arms, giving Nathalie an inquisitive look. She had always been his most loyal supporter, even when she accidentally found out about his alter ego, it stunned him when all it did was make her even more loyal. 

This stupid game of hide and seek with Ladybug and Chat Noir has gone long enough. So when he announced to Nathalie that he had decided to abandon the ‘safe and innocent’ approach, the spark in her eyes told him she was waiting for this day since the moment she found out who he was. 

So was she ready to take this one step further?

Of course, Gabriel had read up on the files detailing Nathalie's life before she even entered his office, even the ones she had tried to hide from the company archives. She was formidable, well trained and most definitely capable of handling things herself. It reminded him of Emilie in a way, the only difference was that Emilie didn't know Taekwondo. 

Nathalie met Gabriel's eyes with confidence. She had done an excellent job, and the documents in front of him were definitely useful, but they’re not the reason why he called her in. When she raised an eyebrow at his silence, he knew she was ready. 

Gabriel stood up, breaking the tension in the atmosphere when he turned his back to her, “These documents are excellent Nathalie, but I didn’t call you in here to talk about Akumas.” He looked up at the towering painting of Emilie, fingers caressing the corner of the golden frame, “I called you in here to offer something to you.”

Nathalie remained silent, watching Gabriel as he pulled and swivelled the painting open, revealing a hidden safe behind it. Pressing the final key in the control pad, the safe opened with a click. Gabriel reached in and gently plucked out a certain Peacock Brooch that rested next to a photo of Emilie Agreste. He gazed at the photo for a moment before closing the safe and the painting, turning back to Nathalie with the brooch in his hand. 

At the sight of the purple brooch, her eyes widened as a loud gasp echoed through the office, “Mr Agreste, is that...?”

“Nathalie Sancoeur.” Gabriel held the Brooch out in front of him, resting it on his palm as Nathalie stood up to meet his eyes.

“Do you vow to take down Ladybug and Chat Noir, to help me bring back Emilie Agreste?”

Nathalie looked down at Gabriel's hand. She knew exactly what it was, and what he’s offering. Years of her dedication towards his work has proved to him that she was worthy of such a responsibility. Without hesitation, her eyes locked with Gabriels, lips curling into a fearless smile as she nodded.

“Yes. Absolutely.” She answered, refusing to show any form of weakness in her eyes. He could tell she was in this for the long run, that she’ll serve him to the very end.

For the first time in a long time, he smiled.

“Then I grant you the Miraculous of the Peacock, so that you will aid me in my mission, and bring me back the love of my life.” He tilted his hand forward, sliding the brooch onto her cupped hands. Her eyes were fixed on it like a child looking at a Christmas present, which made him smile even more.

“Sir…” Nathalie looked up at him and brought her Miraculous to her chest, “Thank you, for trusting me with something so valuable to you. I will do my best to bring Emilie back.”

“As I’m sure you will.” Gabriel picked the folder up, “I’ll handle these documents. For now, I want you to get acquainted with your Kwami before you do your first task.”

Nathalie sat down when Gabriel said “first task”, crossing her legs and giving Gabriel her full attention. As much as she was excited to put her Miraculous to good use, her professionalism was always on point, a trait that Gabriel loved.

“I want you to go to René Veyrat, the flower store where the Akuma from this morning started. Either Chat Noir or Ladybug should be delivering the Akuma Victim back right now, and with their fight against the Akuma this morning, well…” Gabriel gestured to Nathalie.

“Their miraculous would be about to detransform, meaning they’re vulnerable” She finished, nodding in approval.

“Exactly.” Gabriel sat down, “I want you to take the Miraculous of whoever is there. But more importantly, I want you to deliver a message for me.”

“I assume you want me to tell Paris that Hawkmoth has new plans?”

“No, I want you to do something I should’ve done four years ago.”

Nathalie couldn’t help but grin, “Yes sir.”

## 

* * *

Chat watched as Ladybug zipped away from him, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with an almost mechanical posture. He rarely saw her like this, in the past few months it was clear that something in his Lady’s civilian life was weighing her down, and no matter how many times he offered her some measure of help, she would always shut him down with an ‘I can do it myself’ or a ‘Don’t worry it’s nothing I can’t handle’. 

She was so stubborn, and he loved it. 

He couldn’t help but watch her until she disappeared beyond the horizon, he swore he even saw her fall off a roof for a moment, but she was too far for him to really know. However, his longing gaze at Ladybugs general direction was cut short when he felt a light jab on his shoulder. 

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you.” the copper-haired woman asked with her hands on her hip, she had an eyebrow raised at Chat’s slightly flustered face. It was well known how much flirting he and Ladybug did, well, more like how much _he_ flirted with Ladybug, yet hearing it out loud from someone other than himself was sort of like getting slapped in the face. Usually, people take the casual flirting as playful banter from a cheeky Cat, but sometimes, Chat would receive a comment or two that would hit a bullseye on the reality of the situation. 

Chat folded his arms across his chest with a defeated sigh, “Is it that obvious?”

“Not really, but I know what love looks like when I see it.” She paused, frowning as she looked down at the Heart-shaped necklace in her hand. The object that brought her to Hawkmoth that morning, and the object of her now shattered relationship. “Well, I thought I knew anyway...”

“Hey” Chat Noir placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him with tears prickling the corner of her eyes, “What’s your name?”

“Diane.” She wiped her eyes, giving Chat a forced smile, “Diane Dubeau.”

“Well hello Diane, my name is Chat Noir, but you probably already knew that.” He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. When there was no response to his words, he knew that the playful and cheeky attitude wasn’t going to help, and so he decided to be the guiding voice that she desperately needed. “What he did was horrible, but it’s in the past. You can’t let him consume you like that, even if it’s hard to move on, you need to let go.”

Diane watched him as he took a breath, visibly hesitating to say his next words.

“Not many people know this, but my mother passed away when I was young,” He rubbed the back of his head with a shy chuckle, “It tore me up real bad. As a kid I never really understood what death was, so it took me years to get over the fact that she was really gone, that she wasn’t coming back,” Even though a part of him felt guilty about sharing this kind of information to a stranger before Ladybug, he knew all too well how consuming this level of loss is. Sure, he never had a boyfriend that cheated on him, but he knew Diane was deeply committed to her boyfriend, someone who ended up betraying her.

Diane looked shocked by the sudden intimate information she was receiving, “Chat...”

“Trust me when I say this Diane...” He placed his hands on her shoulders, capturing her full attention with his bright green eyes, ”You gotta move on. Imagine if I never moved on, I wouldn’t be here right now, I would have never met Ladybug, never fallen in love with her, and I wouldn’t be here to save you from Hawkmoth."

With that, Chat took a step away from her, leaving her to process his words. “Now I know it’s not the same thing since I’m pretty sure my own mother never cheated on me.” He laughed, making Diane shake her head with a chuckle, “But life doesn’t stop for you, no matter who slowed you down, so don’t let him stop you from experiencing the amazing things waiting for you.” He added, giving her a reassuring smile. 

Before he could blink, Diane leapt forward and gave him a crushing hug, “Thank you Chat” Her voice was muffled into his chest, but he can clearly hear the confidence in her words. Chat returned the hug, “No Purr-oblem” He grinned, bringing back the Chat Noir that Diane was familiar with. She couldn’t help but laugh at the pun. 

**BEEP!**

Five minutes left.

Diane released Chat and looked at him with a real smile, making him proud that he was the cause of such a happy expression. “Guess it’s about time I take you home, otherwise we’ll both be stuck on this roof.” Without warning, Chat turned around and knelt down with his baton planted into the ground, slightly confusing Diane.

“What are you- Ohh!” Her face flushed a shade of red, “Chat you don’t have to take me home yourself, I can walk home just fine. Besides, you’re about to detransform.”

“Nope” He turned his head and looked at her through the corner of his eye, “Your only way off this roof is me, and this service only has one stop: Your House.” 

She sighed, surrendering to the offer. Turns out Chat Noir was as much of a gentleman as he was stubborn. She crouched over and fastened her arms around Chats neck, “Y-You can drop me off at René Veyrat Florist, it’s where I work.”

“Oh I know that place, we'll be there in no time. Are you ready?”

Before she could answer, Chat vaulted into the air with a screaming passenger on his back. 

## 

* * *

“Over there!” Her voice was barely audible from the roaring winds blowing against them, but Chat easily heard her, despite her pointing to a flower shop just in case he didn’t.

Even though the ride here was so fun, Chat felt like the poor girl had had enough, and so he descended down in a way that could only be described as a Pole Dancer’s finale. The silliness of it all made Diane laugh. 

“What? Is it so wrong that I like to moonlight as an ‘ _Exotic_ ’ entertainer?” Chat winked, “Because I’m sure half of Paris wouldn’t mind at all.”

“I’m more of a Ladybug fan, so I can’t exactly relate,” she smirked, causing Chat to press his free hand to his heart in faux pain.

“Meow-ch! Here I thought you were my biggest fan, but I can’t blame you for being on Team Ladybug. Don’t tell anyone this but I’m secretly on Team Ladybug as well.” He snickered, retracing his staff when his feet touched the ground. 

Diane chuckled and got off his back, “Sharing a lot of secrets today aren’t you,” she said, straightening her blouse before looking at Chat with a smile, “Your secrets are safe with me Chat Noir. Thanks for taking me back, if you ever want to give Ladybug a bouquet of flowers, you’re always welcome here. In fact…” Diane turned around and plucked a rose from one of her display flowers, walking to Chat and holding it up to him. 

“Diane, you don’t have to- I mean I’m grateful but...” Chat looked at Diane, who looked like she had the time of her life. If she really wanted to repay him for the day, who was he to deny her request?

Chat took the rose into his hands, “Thank you, I’m sure she would love it.” He gave the rose a good sniff and hummed approvingly, placing it into his front pockets afterwards.

His ears perked up, picking up the faint sounds of a helicopter closing in, “The news reporters are on their way, so I gotta go before you get swarmed by all of my fans” he teased, causing Diane to roll her eyes.

Eyes that stopped when they accidentally landed their gaze at something in the distance.

Her hands whipped up to cup her mouth as she gasped, turning her whole body to the direction her eyes were pointing at. 

Shocked at her response Chat followed her gaze, turning to a tall dark figure that concealed itself in the shadow of a nearby alleyway. Bright purple eyes glaring at them from the darkness.

"What the _Fuck_ is that." Diane slowly backed away from the glowing eyes. 

Now having their attention, the figure strut out into the daylight, revealing itself to be a slender indigo-skinned woman in a dark purple dress that split off at the front, leaving several ends at the back that had rounded points, resembling a peacock's tail feathers. The realisation didn’t hit Chat Noir until he noticed that the blue hand fan that covered the lower half of her face also had a peacock-themed design. 

“You’re not an Akuma...” He breathed, hands already reaching for his baton.

“I see you’ve been busy behind Ladybug’s back.” Her voice was low and sharp, and those glaring eyes made the situation all the more alarming. 

His ears flicked to her direction when she closed her fan, revealing the Peacock brooch on her chest. 

“Get inside!” Chat Noir stood in front of Diane, an attempt to shield her from the intruder. Just as he got hold of his baton, the Peacock closed the distance between them and kicked it out of his hands, earning a hateful grunt from Chat.

**BEEP!**

Four Minutes Left. 

' _I don’t have time for this_ ' He thought, ducking to swipe a kick under her legs before he jumped for his Baton, giving her one last glance before he vaulted away.

As the air blew through his gold locks, there was only one thing on his mind; Her timing.

It couldn’t be more perfect, which means she must’ve probably followed him from the fight with today’s Akuma. Mr Fu had told him and Ladybug that the Peacock Miraculous went missing alongside the Butterfly Miraculous, and so they all presumed HawkMoth simply decided to keep both of them for himself. Which is now obviously a busted theory. 

What really didn’t make sense was her reveal. Was she always with Hawkmoth? If she had been with Hawkmoth all these years, then why haven’t they heard of her until now? There were so many questions, and he’ll definitely need to meet up with Ladybug and Mr Fu about this later. 

The one thing his mind kept coming back to, was that if she had been in the background this whole time, then it meant that Hawkmoth already knew who they were beneath the masks.

The very thought of it sent a chill down his spine.

Chat turned his head to see how far behind she was, sliding to a stop next to a chimney. That’s weird, she didn’t follow him all the way to the flower shop to give up so easil- 

“Woah!” Chat managed to dodge an unexpected kick when she stepped out from behind the chimney. 

Before he knew it, an intense pain tore itself through his gut, ripping a deafening scream from Chat Noir. He collapsed to the ground with his hands desperately clutching at the pain, eyes trembling in shock when he felt the intense urge to vomit. He hadn't eaten anything in the past two days, so he ended up heaving uncontrollably for a few seconds. 

Did she do a double kick with one leg??

This was wrong! This shouldn’t be happening, it was never like this. This can’t be happening right!?

Hearing a dark chuckle, Chat looked up, green eyes meeting purple. His whole body froze, something that had never happened before. Almost on cue, the news Helicopter came, hovering around the two as they stared at each other.

“No running away this time, Kitty Cat”

Chat’s ears drooped when she cracked her knuckles. Instantly he knew this fight was going to be different, this wasn’t about being a hero anymore, it was about life and death. 

**BEEP!**

Three minutes left.

“Fuck!” He swore through his clenched teeth. There was no point in running, he had to fight, he had no choice. “Why!” Chat shouted, “Why are you doing this!?” his tone was one of pain and anger, yet there was a hint of fear. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t remotely shitting himself right now.

“Why?” she took a step forward, causing Chat to helplessly crawl backwards, sneering at the pain still boiling from being kicked in the stomach. “You and Ladybug have stopped us from achieving our goal for far too long.” She smirked, “Since you haven’t given us your Miraculous in all these years, we decided it's time to remove the gloves, to take away the training wheels.”

That smirk, it was inhuman. It was as if she was let loose to hunt and she had finally cornered her prey. Ironic considering she’s the Peacock and he’s the Black Cat. 

Paris– no, the whole world was watching, and somewhere out there, he knew his Lady was watching too. No matter how much he wanted to cry, how much he wished for her to be here, he knew what he had to do.

Chat extended his Batton and planted it into the ground, panting through his teeth, he gripped the staff tightly as he used it to pull himself up. Green eyes narrowed at purple, chat gave her a look that he had never given before; Hate.

“If you want my Miraculous, you’ll have to take it from my cold dead hands!”

## 

* * *

Marinette felt her heart drop when she read the headlines on Alya’s phone.

**“Unexpected Akuma Fatally Wounds Chat Noir** ” 

“ **New Akuma Shocks The World With The Brutal Takedown Of Chat Noir** ”

“ **[NSFW] [GORE] Raw Footage of Chat Noir and the latest Akuma** ” 

With trembling fingers, Alya tapped on the play button of a live news broadcast, turning her phone to make it full screen as Marinette still tried to process the bloody thumbnail she was seeing.

And when it played, Marinette cupped her mouth, stunned eyes shaking at the screen in front of her.

Right there, in Alya’s phone, Marinette was watching Chat fight for his life. There was so much blood on his body, and the pained war cries coming from him sounded more like a desperate plea. The video feed was shaky, awkwardly shifting all over the place as Chat Noir tackled the new Villain off the rooftops, thrashing and kicking at her as they fell onto the News Van. 

“Everyone! Get back!!” Nadja’s voice came through, the screen turned into a blurry mess as the Cameraman sprinted to a safer spot, his panicked breathing muffled the screaming pedestrians fleeing in the background.

The camera stilled and pointed to Nadja, who was crouched behind the hood of a car, “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Nadja Chamack, reporting to you live on the battlefield with Chat Noir and today’s mystery Villain.” Nadja was clearly distressed, eyes fixed on the duelling super beings in front of her, “It’s... It’s not looking good for Chat Noir. I’ve never seen him fight with-” She ducked under the car as Chat Noir is flung over her head and into a stop sign headfirst.

With the shift of the camera, it was revealed that the Villain had stolen Chat's baton, and was playing with it in her hand. Now that the camera was pointing at Chat Noir and his assailant, Marinette’s eyes quickly picked out the specific design choice of the costume this Akuma had, her body tensed when she realised everyone had been wrong this whole time. This wasn’t an Akuma, it was another Miraculous Wielder.

The ominous stone-cold glance the Villain gave to the camera as she strolled past Nadja and towards Chat sent a chill down Marinette's spine. 

Her breath hitched and her body stiffened when Chat was kicked into a wall, body going limp like a ragdoll as he dropped to the floor. This new Miraculous Wielder didn’t seem interested in taking Chat Noir’s Miraculous at all, Instead, it looked like she was more interested in breaking him! Marinette was practically watching an execution on the National News.

“It looks like Chat Noir has passed out! how is he going to- oh my god!!” Chat Noir’s body was thrown into the car Nadja was hiding behind, luckily, she jumped out of the way before she could be injured by the car as it skidded down the street from the impact. 

Nadja pressed a finger to her earpiece, her voice uneven and breathless from the close call, “I just... I just got word that French Authorities are issuing a shut down on the area, and that Special Forces have been dispatched. Chat Noir won’t last much longer. Which begs the question, where is Ladybug?”

The very mention of the Superheroine seemed to snap Alya, Marinette and Nino out of their trance.

Alya turned to Marinette and Nino with a look on her face that they both knew all too well. 

“No.” Nino grabbed her hand, “Babe please, you can’t. You saw what she’s doing to Chat Noir, It’s too dangerous!” He pleaded, but his words were weightless to Alya, who had already made her mind up.

Alya pulled her hand away, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! If I don’t get the scoop on this, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!” she tightened the grip on her phone as she turned her back to Nino, “I know you’re scared, I am too. But this.. This is what I want, it’s my passion Nino. I’m sorry.”

Just like that, she was gone. Sprinting down the stairs so fast she almost fell over. Nino instantly chased after her, his pleading voice mixed with the sounds of the busy streets.

Marinette was about to run after them until a tiny voice stopped her.

“Marinette, listen to me!” Tikki peeked out from Marinette's purse, showing a serious expression she had never seen before, “Chat Noir is in danger and right now he’s about to detransform!”

Marinette's eyes suddenly grew wide, building with tears as she slowly shook her head, “I.. I can’t. She-”

“Get to somewhere hidden and transform Marinette! I know you’re scared but you have a duty to both Paris and Chat Noir.” Tikki pointed to the girls' toilets upstairs, “The more time we waste standing here, the more danger Alya, Nino and Chat Noir will be in.” 

Marinette did as she was told, following Tikki’s orders on autopilot. Tears were rolling down her trembling face as she effortlessly dodged past her classmates, who were still absorbed into the footage on their phone. Tikki was right, as usual. Paris needed her now more than ever, her _partner_ needed her now more than ever. It was selfish of her to even think chasing Alya and Nino would help the situation, especially when deep down, she was using them as an excuse to not confront the Woman that’s brutalising Chat Noir.

Marinette slapped the door to the toilets open and rushed in, closing the door behind her. She scanned the room for anyone who might be hiding in here with her, only to give a sigh of relief when it turned out to be completely empty. 

“Tikki, do you think I can do this?” She asked, wiping her eyes and looking down at her shaking hands. She hasn’t felt her body tremble like this since her first Akuma, since Stoneheart. Akumas were a piece of cake, there was a rhythm to them, a dance that her and Chat Noir had perfected over their years of service.

But this... This was a completely different ball game. 

Tikki’s expression shifted from inpatient to sincere as she floated up to Marinette's hand and rested onto her open palm, “Marinette, you can do this. You’ve been doing an amazing job ever since the day I met you. Even if this is a dangerous and different scenario, you’ve always been exceptional at doing what’s right.”

Marinette pulled her hands across her chest and held herself, “Is it wrong that a part of me doesn’t want to go?” She croaked.

The tiny red god flew up to Marinette's face and swiped away some of the drops of tears that threatened to leave her eyes, “Of course not Marinette. You’re not the first Ladybug to be horrified of her opponent, it comes with the job. You’re one of the youngest Ladybugs I’ve had the honour of working with, and you’ve grown up to be one of the best.” Tikki hugged Marinette’s cheek, snuggling her face into the tear stains, “I know you’re scared, and wanting to run away is just a natural reaction. You and Chat Noir are the only people standing between Hawkmoth and your family and friends, if not for your duty to Paris, do it for the ones you love.”

Marinette closed her eyes and nodded, lifting a hand to caress her cheek, “Tikki..” She cringed, squeezing her eyes shut as she forced her next words.

“Spots on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know things are looking really bad for Chat Noir/Adrien, but at least he's not dead... Right?
> 
> Not gonna lie, it took a lot out of me to write this one. At this rate, the next few chapters are probably going to be completed in an Insane Asylum! >:D
> 
> ~Zarku


End file.
